Used Book Trade-in Policy

(If you just want the highlights and not all the minute details, just read the parts that are bold)

Step 1: Books brought in will be assigned a price.

Mass market paperbacks are usually marked at half of the cover price. They may be marked lower than half-price if they are excessively damaged. They may be marked higher than half-price if the original cover price is something ridiculously low by today's standards (like 35 cents for an Agatha Christie or Louis L'amour book).

Larger paperback books are usually marked at half of the cover price. Usually the most people will pay for these large paperbacks is $6.99, so if the original price is more than $14.00 most likely we won't mark it any higher than $6.99.

Hardcover books are usually priced at $6.99 or less. It may be a little higher if it's a very popular author or of a genre that's in high demand (like military history). Book club editions are usually priced about a dollar less than their regular hardcover counterparts.

If a book looks like a "collectible", we may price it according to its value as determined by an internet search.

Step 2: You will receive used book credit equal to half of the price we assign.

Step 3: Used book credit can be used toward any used merchandise in the store. Used book credit cannot be used toward new books, Bargain Books (or any books with "was/now" stickers), books on the sales cart outside, or any books that we special order for you (even if they happen to be used books).

Step 4: When you use your credit, there will be a 10% handling fee, to be paid by cash/check/charge. For instance, if you use $3.99 of your credit to buy a book, you will pay 39 cents plus tax out of pocket.

Used book credit will stay on file for use by you and your family for at least two years.

Here's a Sample transaction

A bag of 12 books are brought in. We mark our prices in them, which adds up to $45.97. So the used book credit given would equal $22.98.

Meanwhile, the customer has picked out three books they want to purchase, which total $11.97. $11.97 is subtracted from their credit, leaving them with $11.01 to use toward future purchases. The handling fee is $1.19 plus tax, and is paid with cash.

We do accept series romance books (like Harlequin/Love Inspired), but please keep in mind we only sell them for 25 cents so you won't get much credit for them.

There may be books brought in that we know we can't sell for a normal price that may go out on our outdoor cart to be sold for $1.00 or less. If it's not worth it to you to only get 50 cents' credit or less for a book, let us know so we can return those books to you.

The kinds of books that often end up on the $1.00 cart:

Reader's Digest Condensed books

Hardcovers without dustjackets, if it's not a popular author (it's frustrating to not be able to tell what a book is about)

Anything that is not something we think we think we could sell for a higher price, but that someone may be delighted to find for only $1.00

The kinds of things we don't take:

Books that are falling apart, or are dirty/smelly/chewed on (these usually end up going to recycling)

Books that are dated, like travel guides, textbooks, and computer books

Books on casette, VHS tapes, and magazines

Books that are "advance reading copies" and are marked "not for sale"

Books that we don't think we can sell for even $1.00.

Unless instructed otherwise, any books we can't use will be donated to the local library.